A man was arrested Tuesday for allegedly stealing a South Bay, Ca Burger King's used cooking grease. Burger King normally pays contractors to remove and dispose of the inedible and previously worthless oil, but the franchise's manager called police when he found 49-year-old David Richardson pumping the storage bins behind the burger joint clean.

It's assumed that Richardson intended to convert the grease into biodiesel that he could then use in his own vehicle to save money on fuel, or to sell for a profit. It's not known what penalties he'll face.

It seems odd that a fast food restaurant manager would report someone stealing grease, but could be an indicator of things to come. Could used cooking grease become a commodity just like other fuel sources? [Via CBS5]